Upstate New York Poll Shows Many Opposed to Extending Military Aid to Israel, Commerce with USSR

February 26, 1974

WASHINGTON (Feb. 25)

Rep. Samuel S. Stratton (D.NY) has reported that replies to the annual questionnaire he had distributed in mid-December in his Congressional District showed that about two out of three respondents oppose extending military assistance to Israel and 4-1 are against giving President Nixon authority to adjust U.S. tariffs to boost U.S. commerce with the Soviet Union.

Stratton said in a statement that he had sent a 10-point questionnaire to some 161,000 households in his district and received 22,160 replies covering 35,852 opinions. His district embraces the cities of Albany, Schenectady and Amsterdam in upstate New York with a population of 467,189, according to the 1970 census. There are about 18,600 Jews in the three cities.

To the question, “Do you favor furnishing military assistance to Israel?” 31.9 percent replied yes, 50.0 percent no, and 8.2 percent were undecided, Stratton reported. On the question, “Do you favor giving the President wide powers to raise and lower tariffs to promote greater trade with Russia?” 19 percent replied yes, 75.2 percent no and 8.8 percent undecided.

Stratton voted for the $2.2 billion emergency aid program for Israel and, being a co-sponsor of the Mills-Vanik proposal, voted for barring U.S. trade benefits and credits to the Soviet Union until it relaxes its emigration restrictions. Both measures were overwhelmingly favored in the House voting in Dec. However, Stratton opposed the tariff reform act as a whole, of which the Mills-Vanik measures are a part. The act is now awaiting Senate action.